Tewkesbury's Minor Injuries Unit closes to care for people with Covid-19

Tewkesbury's Minor Injuries Unit will be temporarily closed to provide care and treatment for people with Covid-19 who are at high risk of falling seriously ill with the virus.

The local NHS announced that it will shut from 8pm on Sunday (December 19).

It will be repurposed to take in people with coronavirus who require a specific type of treatment called Neutralising Monoclonal Antibodies (nMABs).

John Trevains, Director of Nursing, Therapies and Quality at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Tewkesbury MIIU, said: "This is a new treatment, which has only been made available since 16 December.

"It is delivered through a drip to people aged 12 and above, who have tested positive for Covid and are at highest risk of getting seriously ill.

"Tewkesbury MIIU will be used to deliver the treatment for people across Gloucestershire and we hope will help people from our county to remain well enough to recover at home, reducing the impact on them as well as the healthcare system."

People who would ordinarily use Tewkesbury's MIU will be redirected to other units.